Stuff Happens
by Captain Wonderful
Summary: Jamie's whole world gets turned upside down with a single phone call. Will he be up to the challenge before him? Does he even know what his challenge is? Read to find out.
1. Prologue

On Muir Island there was a rather large complex of buildings, the primary focus of said complex was the study and research of mutants. Many of the residents were mutants themselves who found safety in secluded area and have chosen to lives either on the base or someplace around the island. Standing in one of the clean white hallways was one of the young mutants that lived there, a thin, blonde-haired, teenage girl. She was standing completely still, looking intently at the phone in front of her. Everything about her had the casual ease of someone who knew exactly what they were doing.

She wore a black ruffle skirt over bright pink stockings and clunky, black boots. Her hands were stuffed into the pockets of her beat up, too-large, black leather jacket which was thrown on over a yellow teeshirt with, 'No, _your_ mom.' in big black letters. Her face held bored expression as she occasionally blew at the chunk of hair falling into her eyes from her extremely bizarre hair style, full of pig-tails and braids.

Whatever it was that she'd been waiting for, it had apparently come and she grabbed the phone and dialed a number. It rang three times before someone on the other side picked up and answered in a shaky voice,

"_H-hello?_" the blonde smiled.

"Hello Jamie, I've waited a very long time to meet you." a sharp intake of breath came from across the line,

"_How did you know my name? Who are you?" _the voice came even more shaky than before, with traces of panic and fear.

"Relax Jamie, My name is Layla. I'm a mutant just like you. And like I said I've wanted to meet you for a long time. It was hard to plan everything out to get in contact with you. I'm glad you answered the phone this time." But of them knew that she was referring to the four previous calls that Layla had made. The reason Jamie never answered before was because she was calling him on a pay-phone that he passed everyday on his way home from school. Needless to say he had been sufficiently freaked out by the phone ringing everyday, right when he walked by. However on that Friday he'd finally worked up the courage to answer her call.

_"Well what do you want from me?" _Jamie's voice had calmed a little but was still nervous sounding. In response Layla kept her own words in a clear and even tone, hoping to reassure him.

"Like I said I'm a mutant but you don't have to be scared of me, we're the same age even!" her smile grew a bit wider here, "And I just want your help."

_"With what?" _he now sounded extremely curious as to what she wanted.

"We're going going to save the world Jamie, you and me." there was a long pause before she continued. "I know stuff Jamie, I know lots of stuff. And I need your help to stop something very bad from happening. Do you understand?"

_"I-I think so, but why me? Can't you ask one of the older X-men?" _

"No, it has to be you. Messing with fate is a tricky business and it has to be done just so." there was another pause before,

_"Okay, what do you need me to do?" _by now Layla's smile was threatening to reach her ears if it grew anymore.

"I'm glad you want to help. Right now what I need you to do is go back to the Institute, I'll be coming there as soon as possible so you just have to wait for me, okay?"

_"Is that all?" _

"Yup, that's it. I'll tell you more when I get there."

_"Okay, I can do that. See you when you get here." _as a sign of how his emotins had changed over their conversation, you could almost hear the slight smile in Jamie's voice.

"Bye Jamie." Layla hung up the phone and turned away. As she walked purposefully down the hall she couldn't help but think, _'Phase One, complete.'_


	2. A Beginning that doesn't start

Jamie Madrox was no stranger to the bizarre, he as a mutant was considered a freak of nature and when you add the occupation hazards of being a mutant? Well lets just say he's had his fair share of oddness. But still no matter what else he had seen, the last five days of his life had been, by far the weirdest. Sunday had been just fine, he spent the whole day lounging around enjoying his last bit of freedom before school started again. And most of Monday had been fine; he got up, went to school and he walked home.

However something had happened to him that day that he hadn't realized would be the start of something very odd. The pay-phone he walked by everyday rang. He didn't pay it any attention and didn't even remember it until that same thing happened the next day. When that happened he had stopped walking and stared at the innocent looking device strangely before chalking it up to a coincidence and moving on. But when it happen a _third _time Jamie had run all the way home to his bedroom, ignoring the worried looking other students. On Thursday he had walked by the phone again, and it rang again. Instead of running away he had gone up to it and just before he could answer he got scared and once again ran home.

He then spent the rest of the night locked his room refusing to eat or sleep, convinced somebody was watching him. Somehow he managed to get a few hours of rest and awoke the next day determined to put an end to it. After school he had walked straight to the machine, answering it on the third ring. What followed was either the creepiest or the greatest conversation he'd ever had.

The girl, Layla who had been waiting for him on the other line was not what he expected. She told him that they had to save the world together and that she was a mutant who 'knows stuff'. He didn't know why but he trusted her and found himself eagerly awaiting her arrival. Jamie supposed it had been her calming voice and the way she spoke to him, as if they were equals which was something he didn't get too often with the X-men.

Whatever it was though, Jamie didn't really care because right now he felt on top of the world. Something about being told you would save the world gave you a happy feeling.

* * *

Jamie remained in high spirits for the rest of the day, not even Logan's extra hard training session could dampen his mood. It was at dinner that Bobby finally said something,

"Damn Jamie, why are so you so chipper? Yesterday you were too scared to come out of your room and today you're worse than Kitty." Bobby's mood wasn't so good due to being smacked into a titanium wall during practice and his sour attitude darken even more when Kitty flicked his ear for his last comment. Jamie faltered for a second before giving the vague answer,

"I just had a really good day today." he shrugged, trying to brush it off. He was unsucessful and the conversastion caught the attention of Roberto,

"Oh? And what _por favor _made it so good, _amiguinho_?" The Brazilian boy's comment brought the focus of the rest of the younger squad onto Jamie as they waited curiously for his reply. The youngest X-men fidgeted, turning red in his panic to think of an excuse.

"I-erm, well I- today," his voice trailed off, quieter as he reluctantly mumbled, "I meet a girl." The reaction was immediate and very loud, all of the girls began 'aww'-ing and the boys burst out laughing, Ray even clapped him on the shoulder with a 'way to go little man!'.

"It's not like that!" Jamie protested, quite loudly I might add. His outburst embarrassed him even more but still it got his teammates to stop.

"Awh, come on Jamie we were just kidding around." Jubilee's kind smile made him relax but it soon turned into a wicked grin as she then asked, "So was she cute?" the mall-rat's eyebrow waggling caused a new round of laughs and teasing. By the end of the night Jamie found himself barricaded in his room once more, in an effort to escape his so-called-friends.

* * *

The next morning when everybody was gathered at the table for breakfast the Professor made an announcement

"I'm pleased to announce that we will be having a new student joining us today, Storm and Logan have just gone to pick her up from the airport." All of the students were excited, it wasn't often they got new kids. But in the midst of their excitement there was a big pile of shock named Jamie.

_'Wow, when she said as soon as possible, I didn't think this soon.' _Though he was very excited to meet the mysterious Layla, he couldn't help but be nervous. How should he react when he meets her? How will she react? Will she be what he was expecting? Was he expected anything? What should he-

"Hey J-man are you okay? You're looking a little pale." his rapidly growing panic attack had been cut off by Evan, who was staring at him worriedly,

"Umm, yeah I'm fine." he grinned brightly trying to make his point. Evan seemed to buy it and the two of them returned to the conversation which was focused on what the new student would be like.

"Do you think she'll want to come shopping with us later?"

"I wonder what her powers will be."

"Think she digs soccer players?"

"Hopefully she have something that can pop Roberto's ego."

"Hey! My ego is none of your _negócio_."

"Yes it is! You spend an hour every morning just staring at yourself in the mirror, I hardly have time to get ready!"

"Do you really?"

"_Não! É uma mentira_!"

"Umm, que?"

The rest of the conversation isn't worth mentioning as it only descends farther into language confusion and insulting Roberto.

* * *

At the airport standing in front of the passenger loading area was Layla. Her appearance hadn't changed except she wore a different shirt, tights and skirt combination. She still looked as if she knew all the answers and was once again waiting for something. This time it was a car, a car with two mutants in it ready to take her to Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters. If she wasn't mistaken it would be pulling up right about-_pause_-now.

A white haired African woman barley had time to get out of the passenger seat when a young teen with a bright orange suitcase walked up to her and said something she would never quite forget,

"Hello, my name is Layla Miller and you are Ororo Munroe and we should hurry if we want to beat the traffic." She stood dumbfounded for a moment as the girl opened the back seat and got in looking expectantly at her. Then she remembered that she worked at a school for mutants and got back in the car.

Logan however got a bigger shock from the odd girl. There had been a moment when she simply reached into the front seat and turned the wheel, moving them into a different lane. He'd been about to shout at her when he realized she had moved them out of a collision course with a wayward biker. The man stared at her in amazement but she merely watched the scenery go by outside the window and reminded him to watch the road.

Storm had tried making conversation with her, it had gone a little something like this.

"So Layla, tell me where are you coming from?"

"Muir Island."

"Oh really? One of our students is from there, R-"

"Rahne Sinclair. Yes I know, I was the one who convinced her to join the Institute in the first place."

"Oh, you two are friends? You must be happy to get to see her."

"Yes I suppose it will be nice."

"So what are your powers exactly?" at this she turned and looked her straight in the eye and answered with a smile on her face.

"I know stuff." After that confusing answer the weather witch stopped trying to talk to the mysterious girl and was content on waiting until they arrived at the mansion to talk again.


End file.
